Machine Gun Etiquette

Wow, nice one. great mix of post punk and classic punk rock, I love albums that cross the bridge between the two like this one does.

this is fun shout out croydon

I really liked this one! Not a single song was a miss for me, and there are definitely a few that I'll come back to when I remember. Listened to this one three times (once for sound, once for lyrics, once for fun) and enjoyed it each time. Absolute favorites: Anti-Pope, Smash It Up Pts 1 and 2 (loooove the guitars) Very good: Love Song (cute lyrics!!), I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (mediocre lyrics but felt like a Kaiser Chiefs song overall), These Hands (murderous circus theme.. inspired), Plan 9 Channel 7 (make me wonder why The Damned and The Clash were both making Dead Hollywood Actor songs in the late 70s), Looking at You Fun little songs: Machine Gun Etiquette, Melody Lee, Noise Noise Noise, Liar (the last two are a bit teenage-ish lyrically) My favorite lines are these from Anti-Pope: “Religion doesn't mean a thing It's just another way of being right wing I think sex films are okay I don't dig that pope, no way” Funny stuff.

Punkish

Never heard "Love song" before... What a track. Great opener. Immediately followed up by Machine Gun Etiquette. New wave version of Motorhead. So, after song 2, we're doing really well! Song 3 a bit meh, then Melody Lee blasts in next. Anti-pope - great track. Bit of a dip with 'These hands...'. Loved 'Plan 9...'. Another few decent tracks, the "Smash it up...". Nicely done. Not quite 5 star, but a very well merited 4

4.5

Man, how is it 2023 and I've just gotten around to listening to a Damned record for this first time? This album is very good and I'm dumb for not listening to it before now. BTW, the first song is covered by Melt Banana and I knew it from that. If Melt Banana covers your band, I should take note... 4/5

I saw a take suggesting that while The Clash were trying to break global, The Damned were content with keeping their targets right towards the UK, and that tracks. Even though they’re in New York on this cover and the other band was about to drop London Calling lol Anyway, terrific punk that could have been bigger than they were, but is just as good by not making that happen. B+

The Damned is my favorite punk band, of all time. I think probably is has to do with Dave Vanian's voice. As a singer in that bass range, it's something I always appreciated. The band had already broken up after the last ("Music For Pleasure" isn't bad, but it's more of the same from the first.), the revitalized line up (minus their primary songwriter Brian James) came out with a more collaborative and wide-ranging effort. It was filled with more psychedelic and harder pieces. "Smash It Up" became one of their biggest hits (although I prefer the live version I heard from 1980). But probably my favorite piece on this is "I Just Can't Be Happy Today". That keyboard solo gets every time. There are one or two clunkers in this, like "These Hands" (demented circus clown? Really?), and "Anti-Pope". But they are definitely out-weighed by the big pieces on this, including "Plan 9 Channel 7". Vanian's singing at the end is great ("step into the night...."). If I was ranking the albus, it would definitely be one of my top three ("Strawberries" and "The Black Album" see definite progression). And how can you not love an album that has Lemmy on it? If I was going to pick an album for people to start with, it'd be "Machine Gun Etiquette."

Better than expected

I'm a bit biased here with pretty much anything punk. This is great. I love how classic it sounds yet how far ahead at the same time. I saved a bunch of tracks and the whole album. Lots of variety and it blazes past. I love this shit

Surprisingly good. I expected another shouty one-dimensional punk album, but this was great fun. Very energetic but also melodically strong.

Jumpy and wild: a creative and convincing punk record

was cool

First time listening to this album, and I listened to it twice! I'd only heard of Smash It Up before. Good old fashioned punk fun.

Liked it more than I expected to. More than just another punk album.

Aside from the "hits" : Eloise etc, never really listened to The Damned. This is a cracking slice of late 70s punk.

I've had a few early protopunk albums so far in this list. After the first two songs I thought it was alright, fairly standard but sounded half decent. Third track turned my head a bit, actually good. Melody Lee and Anti Pop then hit me. Great pyschadelic-infused punk tracks. Definitely something different about this band compared to all the other protopunk stuff.

Liked it on the second play

Punk classic - docked a star for the wank clown song

Decent.

Good old punk

"Polish with spit" indeed. This is fun for adding some color and texture to the punk template. "Can't Be Happy" and "Plan 9 Channel 7" are the highlights. Maybe overrates its own cleverness/eccentricity by a nidge, but the likably tossed-off feel makes it a winner.

Never really listened to the Damned, but I really dug this. The brooding gothic vocals definitely must’ve inspired a number of 80s bands like the Misfits and Echo, and the speed of the punk here is on par with many hardcore bands to come like Minor Threat and Black Flag. A diverse set of tracks as well, showing a broad range of genres beyond just early punk.

This is interesting. It's sort of punk meets hardcore, but with a bit more nuance compared to either of those genres. I liked it, not sure I would listen to it again. I like the punk aspect and the nuance aspect but not as much the hardcore aspect. Definitely on the cutting edge for 1979, that's why I'm going with 4 stars.

Late 70s punk hasn't fared well in my ratings so far, but I enjoyed this. It's melodic, musically varied and catchy, with great energy and thoughtful, humourous lyrics. Best punk record so far, by some distance. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Smash It Up, Pt. 1 & 2 Date listened: 21/05/23

Felt like pretty happy/fun punk. I liked it.

I like when punk gets experimental. Really good stuff here that I’ll be going back to. 4.5

4 I always appreciate having a punk album, mostly because I love the genre, but also because it means I can probably listen to it a good 3 or 4 times in preparation for my review… and then still find the time to listen to other stuff in the day. This album also comes during a punk high for me - after catching an elbow to the nose in the pit of a Vandals performance this past weekend and jumping back in as soon as I could get the bleeding a bit cleaned up, I think it’s safe to say punk music and culture is a part of my identity (though fuck that asshole with the elbow). Anyway, Machine Gun Etiquette - probably the most diverse-sounding punk album I’ve heard from the first wave era. Ok, yes, London Calling (which was released just a month later), but I think it could be argued this album explores the full scope of punk without ever truly leaving its musical roots - whereas The Clash were fully diving into entirely different genres. And while that worked well for The Clash, the sound here works amazing for The Damned. Not every song is of note, but the pure punk energy mixed with dashes of varying cross-genre influence throughout really prevent this album from ever getting stale, even if there’s not a ton of lyrical or thematic substance. There are definitely some socio-political elements sprinkled in there though, and while it’s not quite Clash-level, it does result in great tunes like Anti-Pope. I know The Damned are far from the first group to put out something anti-religious or anti-Christian, but to my knowledge they’re the first band to put out something specifically anti-Pope. Being that this was years before the whole Catholic church diddling thing came to light, I’ll give them some credit for being ahead of their time there. While it didn’t become an immediate favorite of mine, I had a blast from front to back. This is a perfect example of how creative and fun punk can be, so I’ll be listening to more Damned in the future.

Quelque chose de joyeux et libérateur dans l'énergie impulsive. Me rappelle parfois The Doors. Les titres des chansons sont délicieux aussi

Awesome album, loved it.

- Great punk energy - Some interesting additions and sounds you wouldn't expect from a punk album - Favorite songs: I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Melody Lee, Smash it Up

Good

I love the britishness of their punk. There is a lot of melody and cool guitar solos that make this album stand out from other punk of the time.

Pretty cool punk /post punk

"Ladies and gentlemen.... how do?"

Albores del punk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.

Decent enough punk album, but not a lot stands out

Excellent stuff

Solid and thoroughly enjoyable early punk album. Top tracks: I just can't be happy today, Anti-Pope, and Liar.

Pretty solid

Miles better than GnR Appetite for Destruction, it’s how punk rock is done properly. Great energy and melodic variety.

I love Captain Sensible's lead work, pretty impressive for a man who was the bass player. While listening to the breakout on Looking At You it becomes apparent that Dave and Captain are able to go off on their tangents because the rhythm section keeps it nailed down.

Very good

This is a really fun album. I have never really gotten into the Damned but have always been interested. I didn't recognize any of the songs on this album besides 'Smash It Up', which I definitely think is the best track on the album and will go into my rotation. Solid album, really liked it! Standout Tracks: Melody Lee, Anti-Pope, Plan 9 Channel 7, Looking at You, Smash It Up (Pts. 1 & 2)

Wow, this was just really really good. No-nonsense punk with catchy melodies, decent instrumentalists and short, memorable tracks.

Not every song hits the mark 100% but a pretty solid collection of first-wave U.K. punk bangers.

Some good British punk. Good as any punk coming out in that era, to my ear.

Awesome punk rock record. Really rocks throughout the album and does not loose energy, neither gets boring.

ok

My face today realizing the Damned is punk af and not whatever I thought they were: :? ——> :o ——> :) ——> :D Loveee the Syd vibes on These Hands

Probably my favourite punk album. I don’t like punk at all but this has the energy but comes with humour and musical talent as well.

Circus music touches, as usual, stand out as good or bad, but they aren't the only way the Damned play at the edges of contemporary rock music. No stretched attempts at virtuosic composition here, nor compression of scratches into a dark sonic ball. The sound is a little better than the music as such but the combination registers to me as local, lovely. Add them to the pile with the Stranglers.

Love the punk style

Liked it...great sound and far more catchy than most formative punk bands. 3.5/5

wow - best new punk album on this list that I've heard. would listen again

Some of it is harder than I tend to listen to, but I enjoyed it overall.

Good album not the best by the them, they certainly tried different things on this album not all of it was good.

Damned forever! Not there greatest record, but still super-listenable high energy punk.

Enjoyable. A quality listen.

It's a good album, but it gets a bit weird in parts. High energy, which is great. A solid punk album, but not a perfect one.

So Damned Good.

I actually liked this one quite a bit. Love the fast -paced punk energy. The first half is definitely better than the rest, though.

For an album released before I was born, I'm honestly surprised by how fresh this sounds.

Wow—really enjoyed this. It’s a witty, fun, varied record. Making me rethink my prejudice against “punk.” I hope there’s more like this out there! As an aside, I had to do a mental reset on this because Apple had the release year as 1988 which must have been a reissue. 1979 makes a lot more sense.

A fast-paced but surprisingly heartwarming punk album, I liked it.

It probably only deserves a 3 (based on my rating scale of 3=I liked it; 4=I liked it and will listen to it again), but the sheer quantity of hits on this record and the fact that it's still stuck in my head the day afterward is making me generous.

I started this album and then saved it for my workout

Straight up good fun punk

Never heard of The Damned before but damn if I am not a fan.

Fun high energy album, really enjoyed smash it up

Très solide punk rock, l'un des meilleurs early punk rock j'ai entendu.

You can really hear shades of what would come in the emo and pop-punk scenes throughout this record. There's a ton of flavors and different types of punk throughout this record, the only misstep being the sad-clown-anthem "These Hands". Favorite tracks: "Noise, Noise, Noise", "I Just Can't Be Happy Today"

Better than expected.

Great fun, put this on after a few drinks and rock out

A great fun album that has all the things I like about punk. Bonus connection to The Saints as well! Faves: Love Song with it's jarring ending, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Noise, Noise, Noise, Smash It Up, Pt 1 & 2

This is freaking awesome. How in the world have I never heard this before?!?

Late 70’s punk is great. This is a fun album.

4, hype

Machine Gun Etiquette is generally good stuff, some great punk elements, some stuff I don't really care for, but Plan 9 Channel 7 is outstanding, Looking At You is pretty damn good too.

Best we've had in a long time - 4/5. Bags of energy, witty lyrics. Still has enough of that rawness that keeps it edgy and punky, but is probably a bit more refined than others in the genre? Definitely preferred it to that early Clash album we had (which if memory serves was from the same year as this). 

Detta var fan kanon? Så mycket som jag lyssnar på som kommit så mycket senare som antagligen kan spåras direkt hit. Bra drag, solitt låtmakeri, goa hooks. Positivt överraskad!

Really cool

This was great! Seemed a lot more varied and inventive than yer average 70s punk album. Fave track - "Looking at You" is awesome, although apparently it's an MC5 cover. "Melody Lee" was lots of fun too...

jaa niet slecht, daarna wel 'you can't put your arms around a memory' dat opkwam en damn dat is genieten haha

Very punk \m/

This is probably the first punk album on the list I've actually really enjoyed. It's heavy sounding while still being melodic and having good hooks, the vocals aren't obnoxious, it all just works

The Damned. Machine Gun Etiquette. A bunch of men in the middle of a road in New York City. These elements remind me of an American action film, perhaps by Tarantino. And the album itself is the soundtrack. Punk. Never liked the genre but damn this one is so good. It is perhaps because it is guitar driven. There are fast riffs and solos in many songs. The vocals are not that bad unlike other in punk songs. Gets repetitive after a while but still a super fun overall listen.

Pretty solid album

Very fun and enjoyable. There were some songs that I wasn't crazy about and would even skip (These Hands), but most were great. I can definitely see myself listening to this again.

not the best punk album but still great. 3.9

Cool punk album. Wasn't digging the circus music. Good tunes.

A real surprise. Never even heard of the Damned before, but i can hear how they influenced a lot of punk I love from later years.

Great punk rock album

De los grupos pioneros de punk-rock. Buen estilo y composiciones. Sin defraudar. Alguna canción más mítica que otra.

Carino

The damned has been on my radar for a while but this has solidified my fandom.

Pretty good early punk! More polished than Sex Pistols, some clear influence on bands like Bad Religion. Elements of The Doors with the keyboards and groove sections.

Great punk album!

Sounds like so much of what I listen to today

I like the blending of genres with early punk going on here. A few of the songs kinda sound like a punk rock Kinks which I dig. The last song kiinda sounds like early Smiths/R.E.M.

Yes, this is more like it. 1001 albums have really made me realise how much I love punk-rock and garage-rock and when you make a song named 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today', I can't be mad about it, at all. If I had been at a concert where they played and having a beer in my hand, I think I could be happy that day.

The damned continues to cement themselves as my favorite band from the early punk scene. Surprisingly varied, this feels like a transitional album for me. So close to a 5, but a few duds just barely hold it back.

Riffs que van desde Motorhead a Extremoduro pasando por T-Rex. Punk setentero 2.0 donde las voces y sus armonías prevalecen sobre todo. Divertido.

Much more fun than I expected.

Fun, quick, and funny punk album . Overall good but I found a few of the tracks grating 7/10

Like!

Damn good early goth rock. I think this has way more bite than I anticipated.

Honestly great guitar and bass work throughout, which combine with the high energy of most of the tracks to make for probably the best punk album I’ve heard. Still, it’s punk. The vocals and lyrics are pretty bad in spots and if it was any longer I’d probably have a headache. 8

Den vierten Stern aus Prinzip

Smash it up!

Great great great stuff. My second favourite British punk band.

solid punch rock album from the late 70's

Aparentemente eu gosto da fusão entre pop rock e punk rock

4/5. Nothing crazy stood out, but it was solid and fun in total

Pretty fun Brit rock feel.

Bra tryck !

New wave and punk rock, pretty damned good haha

Don’t remember much of it but a good punk album overall

Didn't quite stick with me.

Charmigt album i brytpunkten mellan punk och post-punk. Damned drar sig inte för att blanda in kongas, doo-woop, rockabilly, synthslingor och varieté. Det sistnämnda kanske inte blir så lyckat, men i övrigt kan man inte ogilla den här mixen av punk-på-väg-att-bli-något-annat. Bäst: Just can’t be happy today, Anti-Pope, Plan 9 Channel 6, Smash it up

I don't normally enjoy punk music but this is quite enjoyable.

Enjoyed this for the most part but the sound was a little raw and I don’t see myself going back to it much.

701/1001 2026.09.14

So many great songs, but then there are the not-so-great songs that pull the average down.

Not bad, but not a go-to album for me.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Very Good - Love Song is a strong opener which captures all of the energy of the punk movement in the late '70s. The title track is awesome and sounds very modern. Melody Lee is another good track and Anti-Pope is a sharp criticism of organised religion with some funny bits. There aren't too many absolute standout tracks but the overall quality is very high. Looking At You is a great track. Smash It Up shows the range that The Damned had that goes beyond the likes of the Sex Pistols.

Not bad! Had a good time with it.

- Surprised by how hard-edged the distortion is on some of this; the Damned mark a transition from 70s to 80s rock and the more metal riffs of "Melody Lee" and "Plan 9 Channel 7" pump me up than their typical British punk fare...those tracks are much more interchangeable. - "These Hands" (the clown song) is quite dumb. - The Damned is an A+ band name.

One of the better early punk albums on this list. They actually write some decent songs, and the moments between songs give it a raucous feel.

Not really a fan myself

I am a huge punk fan no doubt. Interestingly however, I find among the hardcore punk bands that are known, that there is a pecking order. For some reason the Damned is ... okay. Maybe lyrically maybe ... IDK. Sure, short, driving beats, kinda socially outspoken... Maybe I have to thing bigger. Outside the genre, like in any particular genre, there are bands that are great, canon, must hears, and those that fall somewhere along the scale until you reach a kind of genre break point, kind of like where shoegaze becomes wall of noise. But I am not even close to suggesting The Damned is that far off or down the road! They are punk to be sure. Hardcore? Gritty? unapologetic? I don't know... They are all right as it goes. Kind of middling I suppose.

First time hearing an album by The Damned and its a shame that I never listened to them before. The songwriting is really catchy and with a big variety of styles especially in regard to punk. There are some pure fast energetic punk tracks, I have read they were pretty influential on later hardcore punk bands and its understandable they deliver so much energy. Then there are definetly some hardrock influences noticeable like the solo on Plan 9 Channel 7 for example. Even though punk was kinda the countermovement to hardrock I love it when both worlds fuse together. In general the whole piece is very melodic for a punk record I enjoyed the piano intro on Melody Lee a lot for imstance. Also worth to mention are David Vanian their leadsinger and Captain Sensible on the guitar. Very distinct voice and really good vocals in general by David and Captain Sensible does really great work in my opinion I especially liked the guitar playing a lot on this one. 3,7/5

Fun, pretty hard and flows well. Standouts are the title track, Anti-Pope and Plan 9 Channel 7.

Yeah it's pretty dece

Didn't really do a thing for me. Saved by the last song. 2.5 rounded up.

Good album

Leading punk band

This is a lot of fun, and it's a group I don't remember knowing anything about back in high school, where I would have been when this album came out. So I guess the 1001 list is doing its job for me here. Machine Gun Etiquette is a truly great album title.

Sensible Punk!

certainly not as boringly repetitive as some of the other punk on the list, there's some more fun weird stuff in here, and that portion of the album is a lot more interesting to me.

Dayum again, quite literally

Solid. Rugged little punky album. I guess I lean more melodic NOFX and BR on the whole but this wasn't bad. I was born in 81 so my punk was later and they were still telling me it was dead when I was 12. I think it's all pretty ok.

Vibed with the first half. Second half was all right.

74

6.0/10 I was digging some of these tunes... pretty decent!

Fun little punk album, but Side A seemed much stronger than Side B.

It was ok

track 1 love song - starts off pretty intense, guitar, drums, bass, JUST FOR UUUUU HERES A LOVE SONG and it makes me glad to say its been a lovely day and its okayyy, Im digging it, equal parts intensity, speed, there's a melody buried underneath the noise and intensity. unlike anything ive ever heard honestly, will take a relisten soon to let it sink in track 2 machine gun etiquette - feels almost off beat, like the tempo and music is trying to outrun the lyrics, it makes me a little uneasy but I think it could grow on me and work for me depending on my mood, its not my everyday kind of music, lyrics so far are very repetitive, seems they make their point quick and drive it home with the music track 3 I just cant be happy today - 'a lot of you know there's nothing to smile, there's no feeling fine without being fined, its a price on your heard, no point being sad when justice is red' wowza I like this one a lot 'tjeure closing the schools, tjeure burning the books, the church is in ruins, the priests hang on hooks' feels poignant and political, I love when music and art is so obviously political, because it always has been 'the army's in power, the devil commands, illegal to dance, forbidden to cry, you do what you're told and never ask why' DAMNNNNNNNN they're spitting I also feel more connected to the leads vocals here, I think because its a little slowed down and we see more versatility track 4 melody lee - ok different sort of intro, piano of im not mistaken???? 'melody lee a broken man and a broken dream, it must've been a change of heart, your life was cruel they called it art' DAMN these lyrics are simple but powerful, that guitarrrrrrr is sick asf, if I was drunk hearing this live my life would probably be made, I think the context in which you perceice art or hear music rly determines the way you connect with it, the time in your life, the setting, the people around you I think thats rly being revealed to me after diving so far into the past with this project track 5 anti-pope - ''but I don't mean to pray im gonna nick a collection plate, ive got nothing against church, only people that go there and show they're plain ignorant and don't understand' I feel like rock music is so rooted in political messaging, or at least it used to be, I feel artists were much less afraid to politicize their music earlier, and now everything is so polarizing that people stray away completely, I admire it so much, especially within older rock, r&b, and punk music, it feels overt and bold 'religion doesn't mean a thing, its just another way of being right wing, I think sex films are okay, I don't dig that pope NO WAY!!!!!' track 6 these hands - there's sometjomg unique in the melody pf each track, this one feels like circusy esp after the first lyric on circus clowns, the background feels distinct, its so eerie and just an interesting listen track 7 plan 9 channel 7 - heavy intense moody guitar, drums, bass, 'she plays her mouth into a smile and offers that he stay a while, two hearts that beat as one and eyes that hardly ever saw the sun, Hollywood babbles on she lays a wreath of lilies on his grave, his flame gone along with the love he never gave' I love when lyrics tell a story like this, love the instrumentals on this one probably my fav on the album, will be revisiting!!!! track 8 noice, noise, noise - '7am on a brand new day, im gonna start it in the perfect way, put the greatest record on, I kick the dog and kick the cat, insult my mum insult my dad, scream out loud and sing along' I like this one its lotta fun, per usual insane guitar riffs track 9 looking at you - I keep revisiting the feeling that the tempo is trying to outrun the lyrics, it almost feels like a race or a fight in some places, and then it all comes together again in the guitar riffs, bringing the song , the rhythm, the story back to earth, ' I saw into the dancing crowd, felt like screaming out loud I saw you standing there, saw your long your longgg hair, opened up my eyes baby, u made me realize what I wanna do now, all I wana do now babe is look at you' track 10 liar - 'theres not a word of truth in anything that I say, I don't rly want to listen til they go away, I haven't finished and I never try, if you ask me reasons I just lie' this is a great one, interesting as fuck cool lyrics, 'I smoked your last cigarette, I say that someone else did' LOLLLLL relatable track 11 smash it up pts1&2 - longest track on the album to close out, beautiful guitar in the intro, bass you feel in your bones, smooth and groovy, 'we've been crying now for much too long, and now were gonna dance to a different song, im gonna scream and shout til my dying breath, im gonna smash it up til there's nothing left' and then instrumentals transition, get more upbeat, drums get louder, rhythm builds, I love that these songs ebb and flow musically so often, its like they just change their minds halfway thru and go with it, I love this one it feels so late 70s early 80s definitely a keeper, makes ME wanna smash it up, I wanna danceeeeee

Is this a new favorite? No. Is it a really good punk rock album? Yes. Every song on this album is bombastic and energetic. There's a chaotic whimsy threaded throughout, and the bass lines do pleasant things to my brain.

3.5

In my young punk days I had one The Damned album and it was their debut. I liked it OK but it didn't make me feel the need to go out and get any more of their albums. This is... fine. It's fast, somewhat catchy. The instrumental bridge of "Machine Gun Etiquette" sounds oddly like Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2" (the song they play at all the sporting events.) I googled to see if anyone else had noticed that and I found one Reddit post in the r/stsof (Songs That Sound Oddly Familiar) forum but it had no replies. This album certainly shows more range than the debut. I think I liked "Noise Noise Noise" the most, but I also knew before listening that the guys from the Clash are on that track.

The Damned are the lovechild of punk and goth, sorta like if the misfits tried to write a cure album. Which is fine but ultimately there's not a whole bunch else to say? Some interesting bits like noise noise noise and the intro to Melody Lee, overall a perfectly fine listen, but ultimately I'm in it for Smash It Up, which has a lovely intro (Part 1) which gives way to a strummed bit before fading into a more straightforward punk song (albeit one with relatively solid guitarwork). Important band, not a whole lot to say on the album, ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Perfectly good. I liked it. This is the kind of stuff you’d hear in a dive bar that knows what they’re doing. No problems here. Good sounds.

Mas punk

On the melodic, pleasant side of the line for punk

Pretty good Brit punk. High energy and fun. Recognized the riff from that 'hey' song they play at sports games.

Eh? I guess it wasn't that bad.

Number: 200 Familiarity: Aware (2) Rating: 3 Before: ======= I'm not that familiar with The Damned. I like similar artists from that era but The Damned never really clicked with me. For reference, my favorite album from 1979 is Live at the Witch Trials from The Fall. After : ======= I find it interesting but kind of flat. I'd rate most songs a 3 out of 5.

Not to gritty punk for me to enjoy most of the songs. They are fast but with clear singing and the synth solos were great. Not everyday music for me but I had a good time listening through the album.

This was good. Not amazing, but good.

I love the joy and musicianship in this album, which can sometimes be lacking in punk for me. I did wish everything was just a bit more hook-y, but I think this album is one I need to revisit again over time. Standout Tracks: Love Song, I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Liar Rating: 3

A lot less punk than I had anticipated much more heavy metal

Not bad. Liked some of the riffs and hooks. Didn't really get it any song that much though.

Pretty decent punk. Parts of it actually reminded me of the clash.

3 +

Only knew one song from a different album. Sounded exactly what I expected a classic punk album to sound like. Liked a few songs but not really my favortie

Mixed Bag. I liked it most when the simole punk song structures were spiced up with jam or experimental parts like in "Anti-Pope". This was the first album where I consciously thought "wow, production is really shit". Too much reverb on everything and muddy mix. All in all, not bad, but not really good either. 2.5/5 - okay

I don't hate this, but I also don't really love it either. I don't think it's something I'd ever seek out again

Plan 9 Channel 7 is an interesting song. This is worth a listen. Didn't change my life but it was decent in some ways. Sure.

Some interesting song compositions. The overall sound quality is a bit muddy. I really like that they included and instrumental track on the album. Smash it Up, Part II is a fun track. Ah the Offspring cover was in Batman Forever. That is why it sounded familiar.

Powerful guitars, creative melodies, some songs maybe too noisy for me. 3/5.

one of these albums that starts fairly strong, but quickly becomes forgettable after a few songs: interesting at first, and then the rest becomes kind of a blur. too bad

Pretty nice.

Good

Love that loose, ragged old punk sound. Lots of minor chords here to make it sinister. The Damned always get talked about in the same breath as the other punk originators but I kinda kept missing out on them – this feels like music that could grow on me, like I'd love it more the more familiar it gets. Like an alternate canon, like Marvel’s “The Sentry.” Only he’s fascist and these guys are antifa!

Punk rock with touches of pop, garage rock, and gothic atmosphere built from buzzing guitars, relentless rhythms, and charismatic vocals feels like being dragged through a crowded carnival by an entertaining but hyperactive guide—fun in short bursts, yet exhausting when it never slows down. The album's energy and personality frequently kept me entertained, but the constant barrage of sound eventually left me feeling more overwhelmed than excited. Its strengths are obvious; I just wish they had more room to breathe.

The third album of The Damned. Essential proto-hardcore punk influenced with some different musical genres and styles, so I totally agree with its inclusion on the list but punk is not my thing… 3⭐️

Fun punk with an eye on the future. Always enjoy a punk band that can play their instruments this well. Plenty to enjoy here, a few mis-steps (there’s absolutely no need for an MC5 cover) but a pretty thrilling ride, culminating in Smash It Up, a killer way to end an album.

I was surprised that I more or less enjoyed this album. It reminded me that many places of the music coming out of the UK in mid 80s. At the time I would’ve called it new wave, but it was probably early punk.

Alright! I've had a handful of "punk rock pioneer" albums thus far & this is unquestionably the leader in the clubhouse. 3 & 1/3

Decent album. Never listened to them before. Sounds more like The Clash style of punk, so I liked it more than some other early British punk. Some of the songs sound a bit like daily Pink Floyd with a punk twist.

1979. New lineup, with the bassist from The Saints (his only album with The Damned). Added more variety to their usual punk rock sound. Cited as a 'proto-hardcore' record crucial for the later rise of hardcore punk into the 1980s.

It's ok, need to be in the right mood for it

Tienee sus momentos.

Not bad

65/100. There is a strange honesty in refusing to take yourself too seriously, because the moment you become willing to mock your own identity, you also become a little freer from it. The instrumentation is easily the highlight for me. The album is groovy, punchy, and packed with energy. What surprised me most is how un-punk some of the guitar work feels at times. Several of the solos lean more toward hard rock than traditional punk, adding a level of technical flair and melody that helps the album stand apart. The songs often feel like they are poking fun at both society and themselves, refusing to take anything too seriously.

I don't LOVE this album but I can tell it's influential, especially for its year. It's got that 80's punk sound to it, but released before the 80's (though only barely).

Good

Im just not gonna give this more than a 3 so im just gonna move on.

Ni slabo

Lyder ret anderledes end hvad jeg ellers forbinder med 70er punk, måske fordi der er en anelse goth metal over det. Ret sjovt lyt.

"clean" punk

Punk rock. Not really my jam, but I suppose it’s alright for what it is. DNF. (3)

Punky, but not too harsh

The Damned have always just been ok with me. This is just ok to me.

Not a bad listen

“These Hands” was unexpected. The Wikipedia article’s description of this as proto-hardcore seems on point for much of the album.

This album is very brit-punk in every sense. From the way the music is written, to the lyrical themes, to the vocal styles. There is nothing wrong with it and given the right audience this is a banger of an album.

Pretty good

Mid

For punk, I actually thought it was pretty good. Maybe I'm turning the corner? I almost gave this a 4!

One of those albums that just hasn't connnected with me even though I've listened to it a handful of times. It does have a sorta loose and humorous feel to it which does appeal to me in some sense. It also has lead playing on some songs, not in the virtuosic sense or even in the standard rock way. But it is interesting nonetheless since guitar solos and such were few and far between in punk rock.

As far as punk goes, Machine Gun Etiquette is solid. Excellent guitar mixing creates a rambunctious, full-on, layered sound that actually sounds like genuinely good rock'n'roll at times. Love Song is quintessential "good punk". Of course the vocals are bad, but that's unavoidable. The cut-off of Love Song is utterly perfect. You don't see fun editing like that every day. The next couple of tracks are similarly strong but don't take any new musical directions. Melody Lee stands out as the next genuine boundary-pusher, featuring a piano intro that stops abruptly with a punk breakdown. This, I think, is a little too clumsy to be considered "good" creativity. Music with multiple juxtaposed sections/moods should justify each of those moods – but Melody Lee completely fails to do that, and the switch-ups are more jarring than anything. A swing and a miss. I'm chuckling imagining a song called "Anti-Pope" being released during the jurisdiction of either of the two most recent popes (Francis or Leo) – id est, two of the genuinely best people to hold the position. With John Paul II and his terrible handling of the sexual abuse crisis, heavy criticism makes a heck of a lot more sense. (Not to mention it had just become cool to trash Christianity through music.) We enter yet another mood switch-up in These Hands, with a dizzying rhythm performed by organs and triangles and cackling, maniacal "singing". Cool experimentation, I guess, but once again it's just not the kind of song I would ever want to listen to again. Completely deranged vocals in Plan 9 Channel 7, but not so obstructive so as to ruin the whole track. The song is an homage to the movie Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), apparently. The final four tracks blur together for me. Lots of guitar shredding and cool drum fills. Horrendous vocals, as per usual, but at least they're a timbre I can tune out pretty easily. Nothing particularly creative. At least not until Smash It Up, Pt. 1 & 2, which caught me so off guard that I have to give it some credit. Sounds like REM or something. At least until the vocals come in and destroy the illusion. (Some might say they "smashed it up". Hee hee.) 3/5 Key tracks: Love Song, Anti-Pope, Smash It Up Pt. 1 & 2

1979 het jaar waar banger albums zijn uitgebracht… hoe zal deze het doen sommige liedjes kennen lowkey als the beatles maar dan punk.. de guy links heeft echt goeie fit

leuke punk album vooral het einde werd het goed

Really good, tamed down melodic punk rock.

I physically cringed when I saw this was today's album, but I have been pleasantly surprised. I don't remember The Damned being at all any good. Maybe I just needed to become an old person before it clicked with me. A decent listen, with a variety of different songs that were all quite enjoyable.

Band seems weirdly mismatched to the type of music they're playing - they're too polished and not pissed off enough to be playing punk. The best parts of the album (e.g., Smash it Up Part 1) are the parts that are not punk. Still good - just off.

Machine Gun Etiquette by The Damned is a genuinely fun listen and, for me, punk at its best. It’s full of energy, attitude, and personality, but what really makes it stand out from other punk albums is its sense of humour. Where a lot of punk can feel aggressive or heavy, this is much more light-hearted and playful, which makes it incredibly easy to enjoy. The album has everything you’d want from the genre. The guitar work is sharp and lively, the hooks are catchy, and the lyrics have a wit about them that keeps things interesting throughout. It never feels like a slog. It’s one of those albums that you can throw on at any time and just enjoy from start to finish, and it definitely feels like one I’ll be coming back to. Favourite tracks: “Love Song”, “Liar”, and “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” are all standout tracks and great examples of what the album does so well Least favourite tracks: There isn’t really a weak track on here — it’s consistently strong throughout Album artwork: Cool cover, fits the band and the energy of the album really well

Já, það er eitthvað sjarmerandi þarna. Helst til mikið pönk heilt yfir, en glettilega fjölbreytt og stundum stuð. Set þrist á þetta og gæti komið að þessu aftur til hækkunar, en ekki í kvöld.

Short, fun, and very quintessential '70s UK punk (the sound is undeniable). The beginning of "Melody Lee" was a bit of a red herring because I thought they were going to add a little variety with a piano ballad, but no—I would've appreciated some variety, but the song was still good nonetheless. I liked the intro to "Smash It Up" a lot. And, word on the street is that Joe Strummer and Topper Headon have backing vocals on "Noise, Noise, Noise," which is super cool (I LOVE The Clash so this is huge in my book).

Listening session: april 23rd, while commuting to internship Listened to before: no Thoughts: this is a good punk album but it didn’t stand out to me and I don’t really know why. Maybe I was not really in the mood for it or something Favourite tracks: I Just Can’t Be Happy Today & Anti-Pope

Definitive, influential English punk. Definitely deserves to be on this list. That said, I can only take so much English punk...and this list is chock-full of it.

A solid 3rd album release from a very underrated punk rock band. I really like their wild driven sound.

Not bad, just not notable

Solid rock album that is maybe more filled with attitude than great song writing, and that's why i kind of would like to like this more that i actually do.

#376 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ✅ I'd hear some Damned before, but don't know if it was this one or something else. I find them weirdly familiar, but also very alien. I heard echoes of G.B.H and Misfits, but also generic rock mannerisms I've heard from a lot of music of the era (also of punk genre). It feels watered down and luke warm, while I was expecting it to be a concentrate and hot as coals. They've probably influenced a lot of music, who took it to where the genre classics are now I suppose. Hard to score, so I'm just going smack in the middle with 3/5.

I feel like I’m at riot fest. Quality old school I don’t care rock. Solid3.4

I was probably just a bit too young to really get into the punk explosion in the 1970's, plus also I don't really enjoy that style of music in general. There have been some punk albums on this list that I really enjoyed though, along with some utter shite. This falls somewhere in between those ratings. There wasn't a single track that stood out for me as either 'great' or 'unlistenable' so I think 3 stars feels about right.

Loud and abrasive, in a good way.

You have to admire the effort and vitality and joy. Is it sophisticated? No. But does it translate the world to the listener in a new way? I think it does.

Solid punk album, nuff said

Favorite Track: Anti-Pope (Not in the JD Vance way though)

I like it at first, but it wasn't as great toward the end. Not bad though.

fav songs: love song liar playful, energetic, loose 60/100

More playful than expected, which helps. It’s energetic and a bit more varied than typical punk, but still mostly operating on immediacy rather than depth.

Not bad, just not for me

Old school punk, starts out strong but meanders a bit towards then end of the record. Not bad.

I don’t know that i’ll be listening again but i enjoyed my time spent with the damned.

Mi piace abbastanza!

Sound was fun and I liked the energy but didn’t feel like it was that remarkable

Best goed, voor een punkalbum.

Thought I’d hate this, but it was actually pretty decent.

Erfrischender Lärm

Yeah this is a good fun punk album, it's noisy and ferocious as you would expect. I must mention Anti-Pope as a particular standout, some brilliant lyrics that don't leave any room for the imagination. A wild ride. Favourites: I Just Can't Be Happy Today Anti-Pope Looking At You

- Some songs are okay (Melody Lee, Noise Noise Noise) but a lot of it isn't too melodic and blurs together - Mixing is very muddy - a lot going on and all competing to be the loudest

Des malades ces gars-là. Il se passe tellement d'affaire différentes dans une chanson des fois. Ça me fait penser un peu aux Ramones en plus punk fucked up. Je m'attendais à apprécier plus cependant.

Pretty fun listen. It’s the kind of album that you hear playing in the record store or at the bar and it blows your mind so you Shazam it and then listen to it later but it doesn’t really hit the same. Will say I prefer the second half to the first by a lot. When a Damned song title repeats the same word three times you know it’s gonna be good.

It’s okay not my favourite punk record. I’d much prefer listening to the clash.

Bueno, un 3 rollo The Clash

The punk rock new wave vibes are strong with this classic, solid listen.

Like it 3/5

Helt greit. Like Love Song best.

Hørt på spasertur. Helt okei, litt intetsigende. Bra bakgrunn på pub!

I really like the Damned, but this album has never sat with me the way some of their others have. They make such radical time shifts in the 80s, and that was what I was introduced to, that it feels like they aren't even the same group. Good record, but I love others more.

Energetic fun that doesn’t take Punk too seriously.

3.5⭐️/5 [03.14.2026] 03.27.2026

Early punk that just kind of washed over me. I appreciate the energy.

More musically capable than most British punk bands, but still not my thing

Punk lives. Enjoyable blast through a punk album I haven't heard before.

Machine Gun Etiquette by The Damned is a lot less angry—and a lot more playfully fun—than I expected from a punk album. The whole thing has a chaotic, mischievous energy that feels more like a group of guys having a blast than trying to punch the world in the face. Punk—or proto-punk, which is what this apparently falls under—isn’t exactly a genre I seek out very often, so I’m hardly the most qualified critic here. What I definitely wasn’t expecting was to hear the original version of “Smash It Up,” which The Offspring would later cover on the Batman Forever soundtrack—something I embarrassingly didn’t realize was a cover until today. That little discovery alone earned the album some extra points. Would I go looking for this album again? Maybe. Either way, I’m still glad it popped up on the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list.

Decent 3,5

This had some fun energy that ripped through the mundane work day

I’m not remembering much 🙃

I see the foundation being laid!

Band and album were all new to me. Nothing I would listen to all day. A wild and fun listen. 2,5

Album très sympa à écouter, j'ai pris du plaisir tout du long. Cependant, je n'ai pas retenu de morceau en particulier. Les sonorités punk de l'album sont très chouettes mais manquent d'un petit quelque chose pour être mieux que des morceaux d'ambiance que l'on écoute en fond. Je serai ravi de le réécouter plus tard pour me faire un nouvel avis. Note : 3 À réécouter : Oui

It’s alright! Doesn’t take itself too seriously

My notion of punk has had a bit of a reboot as we've explored our 941 albums to date. This was ... sophisticated? Maybe not that exactly, but there was humor and nuance and a whole lot more than three chords and a sneer. This one doesn't quite get the bump, really just a matter of not getting familiar enough with it in our short time together, but it could well be higher up the scale.

Solid rock tunes, what's not to like.

Ideal length Lovely grungy stuff but few standout tracks

I don't remember anything in particular about this album except they sound like a bunch of different bands

3 / 5 stars

Trop rock

I was a bit hasty with this one. It's actually a glorious musical noise

Never heard of this band, but they sure make banger music. This punk is so good and you can clearly hear they have developed their own sound within the punk sphere. The album starts off strong but fizzles out a bit towards the end. Like a 3.5/5 Standouts: Machine Gun Etiquette,I Just Can't Be Happy Today, Melody Lee, Anti-Pope, Plan 9 Channel 7, Looking at You

No me enteré muy bien, pero no sonaban mal

It was ok

Favorite Track: Love Song

Ok I like Cpt Sensible’s swagger but musically not as interesting as I thought it might be.

On the better side of punk. I got to the last song and it was like, “why weren’t you doing this the whole time??” And then, “oh, this is that song! who covered this? how do I know this?” And I’m still waiting to remember.

Here’s the thing. I can, and have, listened to stuff as part of this where I’ve gone ‘Oh this isn’t really for me but I can really see how it led to other stuff’, or sometimes ‘Oh this isn’t for me, but it’s really of a time or place. I can see why it was liked.’ Musically, this was the best punk album so far, but oh my god are all the lyrics so on the nose? Is religion just being right wing, would you like to share other thoughts that most people get out of their system at 12? Shall we have a party? Shall we invite Bella Hadid?

I was not excited about this album because so far all of the punk on the list has been terrible. This album surprised me though. There’s a high level of musicality combined with catchy riffs and a lot of creativity. They even foray into psychedelia a bit. Overall this was a fun listen! Favorite songs: “Plan Nine Channel 7” and “Smash it Up.”

Solid proto-punk example. I have nothing particularly bad to say here, but once again it's one of those albums that just sort of disappears as soon as I stop listening to it. Fun, solid, inconsequential. Fave tracks: - Love Song - Machine Gun Etiquette - I Just Can't Be Happy Today - Melody Lee - Noise, Noise, Noise - Looking At You - Smash It Up - Pts. 1 & 2

Punk. Aber gar nicht übel.

Decent. 3.5 stars. I'm usually pretty picky with punk I guess, classic punk even more so. But I thought this was pretty good. Some standout tracks that definitely had my head moving, like the last song.

Pretty punky. Not much else to say.

This album was pretty fun and high energy! It was a great listen but wasn't particularly catchy or sticky for me.

I really want to like this a lot more than I do. I think it's one that will get better the more I get to know it, but for now I can't help but find it just a bit generic. There's nothing inherently wrong with that though, I think it's hard for punk to be truly generic, but there's just something about this that puts it a clear league below things like The Clash or Dead Kennedeys in my opinion. It still has a great energy though, as punk usually does, and I was still pretty taken with that aspect of it.

sophisticated spicy punk rock with intersting instrumental passages - still, the parts with singing mostly do feel cheap as almost all punk does.

Fun rock, but did not make more of an impression

Pretty good for punk

great punk record. Makes me want to learn to skateboard and tag stuff around the city.

Este álbum não me impressionou muito, achei ele bastante monótono, porém, ele não é totalmente ruim, pois dentro deste disco existem algumas músicas muito boas. O gênero musical do álbum é o punk rock, este estilo musical me agrada bastante, porém ele como um todo não é tão bom quanto eu imaginava

It was fine a bit harsh on our ears.

Not really any complaints, I didn't hate it but I didn't find any standout songs on the album.

“today i listened to this punk”

ok

I like it, not for me though

The first track I was thinking “oh this album is gonna bore me” so I’m glad it got more interesting throughout it. Not bad punk

Just a real, raw, fun punk sound that flows through the album. The shorter songs on the album were actually quite nice, as it allowed them to express their variety the best. Wasn't the most polished product ever, but this album was never going to be that way. Also, I love the album cover for some reason.

Ok - first listen…. Great punk energy. They can actually play as well! Decent. 3

Punk with some musicianship, hooray! A bite-sized good time.

Fast, loud punk, but I appreciate that there’s plenty of variety and complexity in the arrangements too. On a first listen, this felt like an album where the energy and style was better than the songwriting, but it’s a big, fun energy!

Pretty nice British punk / proto punk. I dig the energy and it's a really clean sound for 1979. I think I tend to prefer this proto more "rock" sounding punk personally. I'm not sure if the songs themselves are really that particularly special though.

The title track was a banger. The first half of the album was much better than side B, but it was a pretty good listen.

a solid 3.5

not bad!

I liked this album. I'm not familiar with a ton of punk beyond the Misfits and a couple more modern acts, so it's always good to expand my knowledge a bit. Nothing blew my socks off here, but I do enjoy when a punk band vocalist takes a kind of lounge singer approach. My thing with punk is that it tends to be more of an expression of raw feeling, sometimes lacking in interesting musical ideas. There are some engaging moments here, but for the most part I wasn't swept away. 3/5 from me.